The Mage
by Tonycakes
Summary: A young witch owes a debt to the the Administrator's family that she must repay in the battle versus Gray Mann. Bernice struggles to fit in as a new class within the team as they fight an ever present foe that threatens to destroy them all. Could she be their saving grace or their achilles heel?
1. Prologue

(Hey Fanfiction! So I discovered Tf2 recently, yes I understand how lame I am, and instantly fell in love with the storyline and characters. So this is my first attempt at a story in the world of Team Fortress 2. I promise this story will expand into "Modern" TF2 times but for this prologue, this is the inciting incident leads us into the story. I hope you enjoy and thanks for reading! Also please review with any questions, comments, or concerns. Thanks!)

* * *

** Prologue**

The year is 1855. On a hot day in July, the sun pounds down on the New Mexican Dessert as a horse and carriage is pulled through the streets of Teufort. The carriage is nothing out of the ordinary, along with the pure bred horse that tugs it along in the blazing heat. The only thing out of the ordinary was the woman inside. Elizabeth was no ordinary woman. After recently inheriting a large sum of money from the last will and testament of Zepheniah Mann, the woman could further her exploits in her hobby, her passion, her obsession. War. Keeping the Mann brothers in a constant rivalry was her role, her purpose in life as puppeteer. She was the master, and the Mann brothers were her playthings. On this certain hot day, Elizabeth had a specific goal in mind. Ensuring the battle's continuation was her only goal.

"You can't catch me!" Children yelled as they ran through the streets. Children, Elizabeth scoffed. How tiresome. If it would not mean the certain destruction of the human race, she would have them all exterminated. Most of the children playing were boys around the ages of 9 and 10. Their antics were violent and rough. Almost war-like. They pushed and shoved with smirks and grins. This was a game of strength. Nine children were pitted against each other on each team, attempting to beat members of the other into a pulp. All of this in order to capture some sort of flag.

"Should I get them out of the way, Ma'am?" The driver of the carriage inquired. This battle of the braun was in the middle of Elizabeth's route. As inconveniencing as this was, the woman was rather amused in the children's game.

"No William. I wish to watch." Elizabeth replied, inhaling the tobacco of her cigarette deeply. How she loved war. She folded her hands in her lap and stared at the children with a sadistic grin. She had been sucked into the action. Nothing passed her watchful eye, as she noticed a girl watching from behind a the town saloon. She appeared to be around the age of five wearing a pastel blue dress with white stockings and black shoes. Her thick red hair was tied up in a matching ribbon. She was stared at the fighting boys longingly. Elizabeth could tell by the tightness of her breath and the tapping of her foot that she wanted in on the action. After a few quiet moments, the young girl took a deep breath and stepped forward. She approached the nearest boy.

"Excuse me, but….can I play?" She inquired sheepishly, tugging on the boy's trousers. The boy turned towards the mouselike voice. He towered over the young girl, glaring at her with disdain.

"Get lost! This game isn't for stupid little girls!" He snapped, as he shoved the young girl. With a plop, she landed on her rear end, covering her outfit in dirt. The girl stood up with an irritated expression. Glaring at the boy, she tugged her ear. Instantly, the boy fell on the ground in a crumpled mess, screaming out in pain. "MOMMA!" The boys immediately stopped their game as they surrounded him. A dark red spot grew on his stomach as he cried out in pain and agony. A few hours later, the boy was pronounced dead.

* * *

Elizabeth could not get the young girl out of her mind. She knew that this child's death was no accident. As the sun set on that very same day, Elizabeth went for a walk. Most townsfolk had gone to bed for the evening. The tragic loss of the young soul had shaken most families in the town. Children were sent to bed early and the town was deathly quiet. Teufort would have been perfectly silent if not for a small child in the horse stables. Elizabeth watched carefully as she pet the timid creature. Standing on an overturned box allowed the girl to pet the muzzle of the stallion.

"It's okay girl." The young child soothed. "You must be hungry." The girl smirked and tugged on her ear. Out of nowhere, a bushel of carrots appeared in her hand as she began feeding the animal. "There you go." She giggled as she brushed the horses mane as she muted not he carrots happily.

"That's an awfully impressive trick, young lady." Elizabeth said, stepping out from the shadows. The young girl turned in shock towards the woman. Hiding the carrots behind her back.

"I'm sorry Ma'am. I know I shouldn't be in here." She started, staring down at her shoes.

"What's your name child?" Elizabeth questioned, blowing smoke from her cigarette. The woman looked horrific as the setting sun cast a fiery glow over her. This threatening persona allowed the woman to hold all the power in the conversation.

"Bernice." The girl answered timidly. She rocked back and forth on her heels, nervous of this sudden interrogation. The girl wrung her hands as a bead of sweat dripped down her face.

"Bernice dear, I think there's something you're hiding. Is there not?" The young girl blushed crimson at her secret on the verge of being revealed. "Do not think you can keep anything hidden from me. I assure you, I have my ways of discovering secrets."

"You're not gonna burn me at the stake are ya?" Bernice asked, on the verge of tears. The woman smirked. Elizabeth had the young girl just where she wanted her. Vulnerable, scared, alone. Perfect.

"Why would I ever do that?" Elizabeth mocked confusion, employing the girl to confess. Bernice sniffled, trying to hold in the tears as this woman discovered her secret. The one secret Momma told her to keep hidden The one secret her Poppa died trying to conceal.

"That's what happened to momma." Bernice replied. "Mortals did it to her!" Suddenly, the story begin to unravel as a thought occurred in the woman's head. Could this be the young child accused of witchcraft twenty years prior? If she were truly innocent, none of this would have made sense. The girl in that trial appeared to be no older than four and her parents looked to be in their fifties. The child would have been convicted if her parents had not accepted the charges of witchcraft. The two children did share similar characteristics from the wanted poster. Perhaps they were not two different children after all. If Elizabeth's hunch was correct according to all the evidence she had acquired, the answer was obvious.

"Oh?" Elizabeth inquired. "That sounds like something a witch would say."

"I'm sorry! I'll be good I promise! I didn't mean ta hurt James today….it was….it was." The young girl pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"An accident?"

The girl nodded feverishly. "I don't wanna get burned at the stake! Please miss, I won't ever ever ever do it again!"

"Well I suppose I could keep this little incident a secret, Bernice." The woman said with a knowing smirk. The young girl smiled. "On one condition, of course." Bernice's smile left her face. Her excitement lowering at the woman's mysterious condition.

"….yes'm?" Bernice asked, her voice cracking as she twiddled her thumbs. The young girl feared her impending punishment at the hands of the intimidating woman.

"One day, I would simply ask that you return the favor." Elizabeth smiled. "To me, or to any of my descendants."

"Of course ma'am! Thank you! Thank you!" Bernice cheered with glee. Any child could easily adhere to those terms. It seemed almost to good to be true as Bernice had narrowly survived. Or so it seemed.

"Now, I suggest you take better control over your powers." Elizabeth snapped. "Your favor is no good to me with you dead now, is it?" Her rhetorical questioned was answered as the girl nodded.

"Yes Ma'am. I'll be real careful!" Bernice promised. The girl could hardly contain her excitement.

Elizabeth left the stable, never to see the girl again. The lingering favor remained unused by its original owner. However, that does not mean Elizabeth had in any means wasted her time.

Elizabeth had succeeded in ensuring a never ending war.


	2. We Kill People

Chapter 1

October 31st, 1972

Halloween had to be my absolute favorite time of year. With children running rampant on the search for halloween candy, my doorbell rang every few minutes. I had twelve bags of candy in preparation for this glorious event. Well, fourteen, but that's why I no longer buy my halloween candy a week in advance. My house was nothing fancy. One bedroom, one bathroom, a living room and a kitchen. Only the necessities. I had on a black dress with a matching pointy hat. Irony was my canvas as I adorned the stereotypical witch attire for my costume. A witch dressed as a witch. How perfect. I was all ready to answer the door for the children of Teufort when the telephone began to ring. Now who could that be? Quickly, I answered.

"Hello?" I inquired.

"Bernice, we're packed and we need you to come down and work tonight!" My boss ordered from the other end.

"But Chuck, it's halloween! And my only night off this week!" I whined.

"I don't care if it's your only night off this year. We need you down here and we need you down here now!" With that, he hung up. Leaving me to groan. I was gonna quit that job one of these days. If I ever grew the nerve. But what about those poor kids? Only a handful of houses gave out candy in Teufort and I would hate to leave the kids with a boring halloween. I smirked as a thought occurred. With a smirk, I chanted a spell I had come across a few decades ago.

"I need a spell to aide my plight, help me be in two places at once tonight." With a tug of my ear a copy of myself appeared before me. The Doppleganger spell. Just what I needed! A girl in my image stood before me, smiling awkwardly.

"Hello Creator!" She beamed.

"Okay, all you have to do is answer the door to the kids and give them some candy….okay?" I tried explaining to my doppleganger. She nodded. "Just repeat after me. Great costumes, here's some candy, Happy Halloween."

"Great costumes, here's some candy, Happy Halloween." The doppleganger smirked in my voice.

"Perfect." I smirked under my breath. I noticed I was still wearing my costume. With a tug of my ear, I was now in my work uniform. Back out to the fields I go. With a sigh, I went to my closet and pulled out an old straw broom. A bit outdated, but functional none the less. Quickly, I made my way to work.

* * *

On the corny of a filthy street of Teufort just passed Guiseppe's and a mountain of dirty diapers and old tires, you will find O'Gillicudy's. A tavern with men and beer. Nothing out of the ordinary. Until this night, that is. The door opened and nine men dawned in red made their way into the tavern. Nine men who would have never shown their faces in that place. Unless, that is, they were paid too. A tall man with a dark complexion and an eye patch pushed his way to the bar. One lone man sat at the end of the bar, drinking away his sorrows in a dark beer. The nine men plopped themselves at the bar in the remaining seats. The barkeep was an older gentleman, late forties. His bald, shiny head and mustache gave off a sense of douchebaggery.

"Whatd'ya got on tap there?" The cyclops inquired. The man looked up at him with a scowl.

"On break." He growled. "Yer just gon' hafta wait 'til ma replacement comes struttin' in."

"Struttin'?" The youngest pondered with a devilish grin. A masked man with a cigarette shot him a glare. "What?" A large slam was heard as a young woman rushed into the room. Her red, frizzy hair falling out of her bun.

"I'm here! I'm-" She froze when she noticed the mere ten customers in the tavern. "I thought you said it was busy…."

"I lied." He chuckled to himself. "Just wan'ed ta get yer purty lil ass over her." He promptly slapped her rear end, the girl jumped.

"Are you drunk?" She snapped angrily. Her brows furrowing in annoyance.

"Yer taken' over." He retorted with a burp. The nine newest patrons watched as the stumbling idiot grabbed his coat and began to walk out the door.

"Chuck! You can't do this to me!" She cried. "It's my one day off! CHUCK!" The girl growled. The man in the mask noticed her hand move towards her ear, but stop as she made eye contact with the patrons. Chuck laughed as he left the Tavern. Leaving the girl alone with the patrons. She stomped her foot and growled at the door. She charged back behind the bar and took a deep breath looking at her patrons. "I'm sorry about that, How can I help you fine gentlemen?"

"Guiness. Biggest one ya can pour lass." The cyclops replied. The girl smiled.

"I can do that." She looked back at the other men. "Anything else?" The youngest looked like he was about to say something when the masked man interrupted him.

"Just zhe beer, Mademoiselle." The masked men smiled politely, the young man glaring darkly at him.

"Alright." She smirked. "Another whiskey, sir?" The tenth man nodded, not looking up from his empty glass. With a polite grin, the girl filled a large glass of Guiness and another whiskey. She turned back to her patrons. "So, what are you fine folks doing out here on Halloween?"

"Just a night out, sheila." An australian with sunglasses on added.

"You guys sound foreign, where are you all from?" She inquired.

"HOW DARE YOU!" A man yelled, slamming his fists on the counter. He glared deeply at the young woman. "WE ARE AMERICANS, MAGGOT! BORN AND RAISED! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"Yes!….Geesh." The girl replied, her hands up in defense.

"Forgive him, frauline. He gets a bit testy vith all things…..un-American." A german man sporting a pair of spectacles added.

"Wait a minute….are you guys those mercenaries that the mayor tried to publicly hang a few months back?" The girl questioned.

"In the flesh, toots." The youngest grinned in a Bostonian dialect. "But I used ma muscles." He kissed his bicep. "Beaudaful."

"Right….." The girl replied, too polite to point out his scrawny arms. "Nice to meet you guys. I'm Bernice. Bernie for short."

"Name's Scout, Doll." The youngest smirked proudly, pointing a thumb at himself. "Dat one who just chugged duh Guiness is Demo, duh masked frenchie is Spy, duh loud one is Soldier, duh Aussie is Sniper, four eyes over dere is duh Medic, duh other masked one is duh Pyro, duh guy in duh hard hat is Engie and duh big guy is Heavy."

"Well, I'm sure he is heavy but what's his name?" Bernie chuckled.

"Darlin', that is his name." Engie chuckled in a southern drawl. Her eyes widened.

"My gosh, I'm so sorry sir, I-" She started to explain.

"Is no problem, tiny girl." Heavy laughed. "Heavy is heavy." The girl smiled, realizing everything was okay between her and the beast of a man.

"Well, it's nice to meet you all." Bernie smiled. "Thanks for coming out tonight."

"Hey, doll-face." Scout said. "If I was you, I'da quit this job an' smash dat skeezball in duh head."

"Oh, some days I wish I could do that." Bernie chuckled lightly to herself. She stared off at nothing, day dreaming for a few moments. Shortly she snapped out of her thoughts and returned to reality. "But...I don't kill." At least...she tries not to.

"Lame." The Bostonian scoffed.

"So, really guys. What are you doing out here? Only one of you is drinking. I mean, he's drinking enough for the lot of you." She chuckled as she filled up the Scot's third glass.

"Zat es a private matter, Ma Cherie." The Spy replied with a smirk as he blew smoke from his cigarette.

"Fair enough." She smirked holding her hands up in defeat. Suddenly, the tenth patron jumped up from his seat. He pointed a dirty finger at the girl.

"Did...did ya say your name was Bernice?" He inquired.

"Yes, that's me. Can I help you?" She replied. The man began laughing darkly as his yes glowed red. He ripped out a revolver from his coat, pointing it directly at the girl. She ducked as the man fired at her, shooting the Guiness tap. The dark beer exploded.

"Me beer!" The drunken cyclops roared. The Russian bear charged at the man and slammed him against the wall, punching him in the face repeatedly until it was nothing but a puddle of blood. The girl had two hands held tightly over her mouth, holding in her screams.

"You just...he just...what?!" She cried in shock.

"We are mercenaries, Bernice." The frenchman explained. "We kill people." Her eyes widened in realization at the events that had transpired.

"Oh god, I'm going to jail." Bernice muttered. "We need to get rid of the body!" She shouted. Jumping over the bar, she grabbed the man's legs, trying to drag him away. Unfortunately, he strength was subpar as he slowly inched towards the back. The Russian man chuckled as he threw the man over his shoulder as if he were nothing.

"Ve can take care of this, Frauline." The german smirked. The men began to leave the tavern. The Frenchman was the last to leave as he smirked at the young woman.

"We will zee you later, ma petite sorcière." Spy smirked as he closed the door. And with that, the tavern was empty.

* * *

After tonight's incident, I had decided to close up early. God, I wish I could've given that snot nose Chuck what was coming to him right then and there. But with so many witnesses, I would've been run out of town in an instant. Those mercs though, they were a colorful group of characters. A suspicious colorful group of characters. What were they doing at the tavern if they weren't even going to drink? Something was off about them. I unlocked my door with a quick ear tug and made my way into the house. God, I needed to get some sleep! Making my way to my room, I tugged on my ear and dawned my pajamas, a pink silk dress. Comfort at its finest. Just as I curl myself up into my sheets, there was a knock at the door. My brown eyes widened as I cautiously walked towards the door. I ripped open the door, finding nothing but emptiness in front of me. I rolled my eyes as I closed the door once again.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle." Spy smirked, standing before me. I jumped at his sudden appearance. I noticed his eyes linger, looking me up and down. My apparel was far from appropriate, but something told me the Spy preferred it that way.

"Spy? What are you doing here?" I questioned. He smirked devilishly as he wrapped his hand around my waist.

"My colleagues and I 'ave been zeeking a witch in the city of Teufort." Spy explained. He took a puff of his cigarette with his free hand. He twirled me towards him as he looked deeply into my eyes. "Would you 'appen to know anything about zis?" For someone reason, my heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

"I...I have no idea what you're talking about." I replied as bravely as I could.

"Ma Cherie, It es not polite to lie." He tisked. He pulled a butterfly knife out of what seemed like nowhere and held it close to my throat. "Per'aps I can teach you some manners." I felt sweat drip down my throat as I gulped nervously.

"Spy! I got 'er!" A Boston accent from down the hall. Scout emerged from the hallway, clutching a copy of Bernice dawned in a witch costume. The room was silent as the four of us stared at each other in silence. At least, not for long.

"Hello Creator!" My chirper doppleganger grinned. There was no way I was talking myself out of this one. I had to act. FAST. With a tug of my ear, my doppleganger disappeared. I kicked the frenchman in the groin as I rushed towards the door. He fell to the ground as he groaned in pain. I sprinted towards the door and ripped it open, slamming the pursuing Bostonian in the face. He fell to the ground as well. Awaiting me outside was a large van with the words RED BREAD written on the side. It was an ambush. I felt a twinge of pain in my neck as I noticed a dart sticking out of my neck. Tranquilizer. The Sniper was sitting on my roof, grinning at his successful hit. I struggled to keep moving, but the foggy haze reminded me that the men had already one. In the blur I saw the Spy and Scout making their way towards me. I tripped over thin air as I fell face first. The world was spinning as I felt large arms scoop me up.

"Put zhe Frauline in zhe van, Heavy." The familiar german voice of the medic rang in my ears. That was the last thing I heard before everything went dark.


	3. I Suppose You Would Like An Explanation

(Hello everyone! Thank you for all your reviews and support! It certainly helps me out. Please read and review as it motivates me!)

Chapter 2

Cold. One of my first senses to come to life was the one of the cold metal and the breezy feeling I felt. The smell of dried blood and sterilization filtered through my nostrils. Soon enough my heavy eyes pried themselves open. I could practically feel the crust in the corner of my eyes. Where the hell am I? I was surrounded by medical equipment. A doctor's office. The place I absolutely dreaded most. I quickly tried to pull myself up and immediately became dizzy. Super. Soon enough, I realized my hands and legs were chained to the operating table. Again, super. I desperately tried to reach my ear to release my restraints when I heard footsteps marching down the hall. The door before me opened to reveal the Medic and Heavy entering the room.

"Relax, kleines Mädchen." The Medic soothed. "Ve are not going to hurt you."

"Where am I?" I inquired, the anesthetic still having its effect on me.

"Our Base. Ve veer under specific instructions to bring you here. Alive." The German explained as he walked towards my restraints. He began with my legs and then made his way towards my arms. Unclipping one, he hooked it with a handcuff and attached it to my other arm. The large russian man grabbed me by my wrists and yanked me to my feet.

"This vay." The German proclaimed as he walked out of the room. The Heavy pulled my along. I tried desperately to pull away but my strength paled in comparison to the large man. I was led down the hall into a large conference room. There, the other seven men were gathered. Waiting patiently. A few of the men gawked wide eyed at. The cyclops chuckled.

"That's a good look on ye, hen." The scott smirked. Suddenly I remembered the condition I was brought to their so called base in. I just had to wear the silk night gown to bed. The gown ran passed my knees, yet it provided me little warmth. I felt my cheeks redden.

"What do you want?" I growled in disdain.

"Oi, look 'ere Sheila. The boss just wointed us ta bring ya here. That's all we know." The Australian retorted. I growled in annoyance. They weren't exactly a very organized group of mercenaries. What could they possibly want with a witch? Did they want me to brew them up a potion of sorts? Jokes on them. They choose the one witch who is absolutely awful with magic. It's kind of pathetic really. Like yeah, I can make a clone of myself but I'm lousy with a cauldron! Suddenly, a large TV overhead began to static. I had barely noticed it before. Suddenly, a woman's face appeared on the screen. Wait….. she looked awfully familiar.

"Good work, gentlemen." A dark, eerie voice echoed from the speakers. "I suppose you would like an explanation?" My eyes widened as the intimidating woman addressed me. "How old are you now? According to my records you're around 180 years of age."

"177 ma'am." I muttered.

"SPEAK UP." She boomed. I jumped, practically falling into the Heavy.

"177 ma'am!" I shouted, raising my voice. She chuckled darkly.

"Of course." She said. "Despite your many years on this earth you have the physical characteristics of an adolescent. Interesting indeed." I gulped. The mysterious woman wasn't even in the room but I could feel her dark energy. She was someone you did not want to cross. This was an energy I had felt before. However, that was over a century ago! This couldn't possibly be the same woman! Could it?

"Do you remember a little bargain you made in 1855?" The woman inquired. I remained silent, however I knew exactly what she was discussing. "Such a young and foolish child you were. In repayment for keeping your…lifestyle…hidden, you promised my ancestors a favor. Any favor." A grin grew on the woman's face. My eyes widened. "It is time to pay up, Bernice."

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I don't know how-" I started to explain.

"SILENCE!" She commanded. I froze in mid thought, fearing her wrath through the screen. "My favor is simple. We are in a war. There is a man who wishes to take over Mann Co, a corporation for which it is my job to protect. My men's efforts are valiant, yet futile. The thought occurred to me that this war can only be won with a miracle. You, Bernice, are my miracle."

"But-" I started.

"As of today you will be referred to as The Mage. You will be a member of the support class and you will-"

"And if I refuse?!" I snapped, scrounging up as much courage as I had in me. The woman raised an eyebrow and smirked. Why was she smirking?

"Mage, there is only one thing that can kill a witch. And thankfully I have a man who specializes in such…..rituals." The woman grinned. "Pyro?" The man with the gas mask stood up and walked towards me. He held his weapon in front of me, pointed at the wall to my left. With a laugh of pure joy he let loose a rain of fire. My blood boiled as I screamed bloody murder. Fire was my death.

"STOP! STOP! PLEASE, GOD, STOP!" I shrieked as I fought against the Heavy's grasp. Eventually the Pyro stopped as I breathed heavily. Tears streamed down my puffy red face. The other members of the team were in stunned silence.

"Do we understand each other Mage?" The woman questioned. I remained silent, processing the information I had just received. "SPEAK UP!"

"Yes Ma'am!" I replied frantically.

"Good." The woman was done addressing me. "Gentlemen, this is your new colleague. I wish for you to treat her with the same respect as you would give of any other member of the team." There was a hush amongst the room. "That is all." The screen went blank once again.

"Wow wow wow!" The Scout was the first to speak up. "The witch is going to be our teammate?"

"A woman in our squadron?" The soldier inquired. "Unacceptable." Misogyny at its finest.

"Heavy, let go of the little darlin'. Would ya?" Engie suggested. The russian man eyed him skeptically.

"Are you sure?" He inquired.

"Of course! After all, she's one of us now." The Engie explained. Reluctantly, the Heavy undid my restraints. Leaving me free to move. I was so tempted to yank my ear and call my broom over here. However, I was stopped my the stomach churning fear of the Pyro. The Engie gave me a pat on the back. "Welcome to the Team!" I rubbed my wrists from where the handcuffs had dug into my skin. There was an awkward silence throughout the room. No one knew what to say or do next. The entire situation was...well awkward. That's just about when my stomach let out a deafening growl. Oh, I hadn't eaten in a while had I? "Well I'll be, you must be starvin' to death!" He put his hand on the small of my back as he guided my towards the kitchen. "Here doll, I'll chef ya something to eat." The Engineer led me to a relatively small kitchen. There I sat down at the table. The cool metal against my skin made me shiver.

"Oh boi! I'm starvin'!" The Scout cheered as he popped a squat right next to me.

"Scout, son. You just ate!" The Engineer snapped.

"Yeah, but dat was like, 20 minutes ago." The Scout defended, not understanding Engie's logic. The Texan rolled his eyes as he pulled out more ingredients.

"Alright, I'll make ya something if you run and grab Mage a blanket or something. She's gonna freeze!" He chuckled.

"Sure thing." The Scout said as he rushed off down the hall. One things for sure, he was fast. That's when the soldier barged into the small kitchen.

"ENGINEER! I ORDER YOU TO STOP CODDLING THE NEW RECRUIT!" He roared. The Engineer stopped what he was doing and looked at the loud man.

"What in the sam hell-" He started. The loud man turned to me.

"LISTEN UP HERE MISSY! AS A MEMBER OF THE RED TEAM YOU WILL ABIDE BY OUR RULES AND YOU WILL NOT SUBJECT US TO YOUR SO CALLED 'EMOTIONS' AND 'FEELINGS'. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?" The soldier boomed. His face was pressed up against mine in his attempt to intimidate me. That's it, I was done.

"No, Sir, That is NOT understood." I shouted. Standing up to my full height. "I am a witch and I have enough magic in me to kick your ass so hard you'll have to sit on your eyes. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?" The soldier did not appreciate the fact that I had stood up to him. "So just back the FUCK UP!" I screeched. With that screech, I gave a hard tug on my ear, sending him flying back. He plowed through the wall and into the meeting room. The men who remained in there stood shocked and all eyes turned on me.

"i got a blank-" The scout started as he jobbed back down the hall, blanket in hand. He stopped mid sentence when he noticed the gaping hole in the wall. "Wow...Da hell did I miss?" I snagged the blanket from his hands and charged down the hall. As I entered the nearest room I slammed the door behind me.

* * *

I'm not sure how long I had baracaded myself in this random bedroom. I didn't even know who's bedroom it was. The audacity of some people! I wrapped myself in the blanket. As my eyes watered I pretended I was back in my little home. Back in my cozy bed. Hell, I even missed my sleezball boss! Anything was better than this! Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Oi, sheila. You oilright in there?" The Australian Sniper inquired.

"Just leave me alone!" I snarled.

"A bit hard to do that when you're in my room, love." He argued. Grr, he had a point. I pulled myself up and ripped open the door. I charged pass him as he grabbed my hand.

"Wow, hold up." He stopped me. I looked at him with red eyes. "It's gonna be oilright. My parents oilways said, everything happens for a reason." I yanked my arm from his grasp as I turned around and slammed into another entity. The Frenchman stood before me. He adjusted his tie as he looked down at me.

"I would be 'appy to ezcort you to your boudoir, Mademoiselle." The Spy said politely. Being the seventies, it was hard to come across an old fashioned gentleman such as himself. It reminded me of the olden days. People were so polite when they weren't in angry mobs trying to burn you at the stake back then.

"Thanks." I muttered as I began to follow the frenchman.

"G'night!" The Aussie called as he went into his bedroom. The Spy and I continued down the hall until we came upon the final room. Spy opened the door for me as I walked in. It wasn't much different from the sniper's room. Twin bed, a closet and a dresser. The basics.

"If you have any questions, my room es just across zhe 'all." He said.

"Thanks." I muttered again. I began to close the bedroom door. "One more thing." I turned to look at him. "Tomorrow at six o'clock we will begin training."

"Does that mean I have to deal with loud mouth?" I groaned in annoyance. The frenchman chuckled.

"Soldier can be a beet...overbearing, but he will grow on you. Eventually." He assured me. He took my hand in his and kissed it gently. "Good night, ma petite sorcière."

"What does that even mean?" I laughed lightly. "No vous parle pas français." The frenchman smiled and chuckled at my pathetic attempt at french.

"It means my little witch." He translated. I nodded, piecing it together. "Bonsoir."

"Okay, wait what does that mean?" I inquired once again. He laughed as he continued into his room and shut the door. I sighed as I retreated back into my room. I curled up in my little cot and desperately tried to fall asleep. Eventually, I succeeded.


	4. The Worst Witch in The World

(Hey everyone! The reviews are greatly appreciated. I'm glad some of you are enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it.)

Chapter 3

No! That was my response to the blaring alarm clock that echoed through the base. Under the sheets, I could hear doors opening and closing and footsteps going down the hall. Nope, Nada, Zilch. I was not going to get out of bed to be tortured by nine burly men through….exercise. I laid under the sheets for another few minutes. The alarm had stopped and everything was quiet. Finally, peace. I had almost lulled myself back to sleep when there was a knock at the door.

"Yo, Mage, it's Scout." A Boston Drawl announced. "It's time ta get up."

"Mhmmmmm!" I groaned. I figured that would be enough to make my disgust clear. The door opened, despite my pleas, as footsteps made there way towards my bed.

"C'mon! Let's go or Soldier'll blow a gasket!" The Scout said whilst shaking me.

"MHMmmmmm!" I groaned louder. The Scout sighed at his futile attempts.

"Guys! She's not getting up!" He called to his colleagues with a sigh and a huff. Unfortunately for me, I heard even more footsteps come walking in.

"Leetle girl needs to get up. If soldier finds her in bed, he will not be happy." The Russian Bear said as he too shook her gently. I was so sick of this whole shaking thing. I ripped the blanket off and glared at the 8 men surrounding me.

"Look. I don't care what debt I owe or what old man I piss off. I am not waking up at 6 o'clock in the morning." I pointed an accusing finger at all of the men surrounding me. That's when it hit me. "And what are you doing in my room? Get out!" With a huff, I tugged the blanket back over my head and curled up into a tight little ball. Hopefully they would get the impression that I was not a morning person. An impression that was entirely accurate.

"Oi Sheila. I brewed up a pot o' coffee. If ya get up now I'll give ya the whole thing." The Australian offered. A tempting offer. And one I could not refuse. Begrudgingly, I rose from the bed, taking the blanket with me.

"Alright Aussie, let's go." I mumbled as I trudged back down the hall towards the kitchen. Sniper followed closely behind as he picked up a pot of hot coffee, He poured a some into a mug and handed it to me.

"Cream or sugar, love?" Sniper asked. I shook my head as I practically chugged the mug of coffee. God I loved coffee.

"You're lucky we woke ya up in time, toots. Soldier woulda ripped ya a new one." Scout explained. "You shoulda seen my first mornin' here."

"Thanks then…. I guess." I mumbled as I poured myself a second cup of coffee.

"We just didn't want to see Solly scream atcha again." Engie added, as he pulled up a chair.

"Pssh. I can handle him." I replied. "So, what do you guys need a witch for in your war anyway?"

"Vell, the administrator believes that ve need a little, vell, magic on our side." The Medic replied with a slight chuckle.

"You're losing?" I inquired.

"Oui, ma cherie." The Spy replied. I jumped, not noticing that he was behind me the whole time. "Miss Pauling will be here after training to discuss a new strategy."

"Training?" I inquired. The Russian man stood next to the fridge as he chomped happily at a sandwich. It's 6 in the morning why is he eating a sandwich?

"Eet will be fine, leetle Mage will learn how to fight." Heavy explained.

"FALL IN MAGGOTS!" The booming voice of the soldier roared from down the hall. The men all sighed as they lined up according to height.

"Wait, what are we doing?" I questioned. The Scout motioned for me to join him in line. I shrugged my shoulders and trudged up next to Scout. Now, the line was complete. Heavy at the other end, and me down here. The large brute named Soldier trudges into the kitchen, glaring daggers at the lot of us.

"LISTEN UP!" The man shouted. "WE ARE 15 MINUTES BEHIND SCHEDULE. THEREFORE, WE WILL DO 1500 EXTRA PUSHUPS!" The group groaned in unison. The Soldier turned his gaze upon me. "YOU! PRISSY MAGGOT! THIS AIN'T NO SLUMBER PARTY!" I rolled my eyes and tugged my ear. Suddenly, I was dawned in a t-shirt and running shorts.

"Happy?" I groaned.

"ARE YOU TALKING BACK TO ME?" He growled. I sighed.

"No sir." I appeased the growling ape.

"TO THE TRAINING ROOM NOW, MAGGOTS!" He commanded. The group all started making their way down a hallway. I followed suit. I walked closely next to Engie.

"Is he really going to make us do 1500 pushups?" I whispered.

"Nah, doll. He'll probably forget about it before we even get there." The Engie replied. "Soldier just likes to think he's in charge. But everyone trains individually. We just let him feel like he's in control." I sighed with relief. That made me feel slightly better. I was far from athletic. I had been buying this slimming potion from a witch in phoenix for the past 20 years. This training session sounded like torture. Eventually we all made it into a gym. Soldier opened his mouth to bark some commands but everyone just dispersed and did their own thing. Some even left the training gym entirely. I quickly ran off in another direction in order to avoid The Soldier's wrath. Scout had made his way to a batting cage, equipped with a pitching machine. Heavy was off lifting weights of impossible sizes. I'm almost certain one of the weights was half a ton. The menacing Pyro was off burning god knows what in some distant far off corner. The soldier was content with doing pushups in the middle of the spacious room. Spy, Engineer, Medic, Sniper and Demo were no where to be found. So….where the hell was I supposed to go?

"Heads up!" Scout shouted from the distance. Quickly, I turned to see an oncoming ball. With catlike reflexes I tugged my ear as the ball froze in midair, a mere inches in front of my face. After a few moments, it dropped to the ground. "Wow, nice one Mage."

"So, what am I supposed to be doing right now?" I inquired as I tossed the ball back towards the Scout.

"Practice your moves, I guess." The Scout said with a shrug. "That's what everyone else is doing." I shot Scout a look, saying that I remained confused about the situation before me. "Look kid," I rolled my eyes at that. Doesn't he know I'm at least 8 times his age? "Everyone here's got a special talent dat helps us in baddle. Just, practice your magic er whatever."

"How am I supposed to do that?" I questioned, still puzzled. Scout pondered this for a moment. I could practically see the gears turning in his head followed by a lightbulb when he had conjured up an idea.

"Here! Pull a rabbit outta my hat!" He grinned as he handed me his hat. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really?"

He nodded vigorously, shoving his hat at me. I rolled my eyes and took it. I yanked my ear and grabbed a newly formed rabbit from the scruff of its neck out of Scout's hat. His eyes widened in pure joy as I handed the white furry creature to him.

"Here kid." I replied with his own remark. I put the hat back on his head. "Have fun." I decided I was getting no where with the Scout and went off to find someone else to help me. I left the training room to hunt for someone who could give me answers. Someone who wasn't starting fires, pumping iron or doing pushups blindly. I didn't have to look hard for the first missing merc. The Demoman sat in the kitchen, surrounded by empty beer bottles. "Demo, are you drunk? It's not even eight o'clock!"

"Yer *hiccup* welcome ta join me, lass." He slurred. I sighed. This was getting no where. I continued walking down the hall. Well, there was still Medic, Sniper Engie or Spy to help me out. After a few corridors I heard a ruckus. I opened the door to the source of the noise to find what appeared to be a hardware room. There I found Engie working away at some sort of device. He turned towards me.

"Howdy Mage!" He said with a wave. I politely waved back.

"What ya doing?" I asked.

"Just fixing this here sentry." He replied, motioning towards the metal machine with his wrench.

"Sentry?" I inquired once again. He chuckled at my question.

"It's like an automatic gun. Anything get's in its sights, well, you get the idea." He explained. I nodded.

"So...this training time...what exactly am I supposed to do?" I inquired.

"Practice what yer good at." Engie answered. "I dunno. Cast a spell on someone."

"Right." I sighed. Hopeless. I started to turn towards the door.

"Wait! I've got it!" Engie declared. I looked at him. "You can use yer powers to try and find out where Spy slips off to every training session."

"You mean, you don't know where he is?" I asked.

"Nah, we tried his room, his smoking room. Nothing. He's got to be around here somewhere though." The Engineer explained. "See if ya can find him with some...gumbo jumbo or whatever it is ya call it." Hmm... not a terrible idea. Third times a charm I guess.

"Thanks Engie, that's actually not a bad idea." I replied. He tipped his hard hat to me.

"Not a problem darlin'." He smirked. "Good luck!" With that, he returned to his project and I left the room. Alright, Find the Spy. Simple. I could do the that! Alright. I got my self ready and began my chant.

"I'm looking for a man who hides, put me right by his side." I casted the spell with a smirk as I tugged my ear. In an instant, I found myself out of the hall and in a small room. It was dark and eerie. Oh god was I in Tibet again? I swear I always do that! I was snapped back to my senses when a sharp knife was pointed right at me.

"AH!" I shrieked, putting my hands p in defeat. "Dgongs dag!" I shouted in Tibetan.

"Sheila! Oi, thank god it's you. I thought you was a bloody spook." The Aussie sighed, turning back to the range.

"Target practice?" I inquired.

"Yeah. Part o me job is campin' up here and blowin' off some heads." He explained. Without even blinking, he shot a bullseye.

"Would you describe your position as...hidden?" I inquired.

"Yeah..." He replied, staring at me like I had three heads. I growled.

"Damnit!" I pouted. "I was trying to practice my magic, but, well. I'm a little rusty."

"Don' worry 'bout it, mate. After a long break from snipin', like weeks back at my folks, it takes me a few practice rounds to get back to my bulls eyes. I shoot bloody reds!" Sniper comforted. I had no idea what that meant but I nodded like I understood. "The poin' is, ya just gotta keep practicing'." He looked at me for a second. "Whatdya do ta get here?"

"I said: I'm looking for a man who hides, put me right by his side." I replied. "I was trying to find spy, but, well, I ended up here." The Aussie shook his head.

"Try bein' more specific. Spy's not the only one who hides." Sniper replied. I nodded.

"You're right!" I shouted, realizing the flaw in my plan. "Alright. Help me find a foreign man who thinks it's fab, to take a knife and a victim to stab." With that I tugged my ear and I was gone once again.

This time I appeared in the very same room I woke up in the day before. The scary doctor's office/laboratory. Oh god. Is the Spy really in here. Unfortunately, he was not. The Medic was seated in front of a desk, his hands covered in blood and a specimen tied helplessly to his desk. He looked up at me.

"Yes? Vhat do you vant?" The German questioned, sounding slightly annoyed.

"I'm sorry, I was experimenting with my magic. Guess I'm not very good." I replied. He looked up at me, a lightbulb above his head. He walked over to me and put his bloody arm around my shoulders.

"Fräulein, vould you mind helping me vith one of my...experiments?" He questioned with a grin.

"Ex...experiments?" I stuttered.

"Well, yes. I've just been dying to...crack your ribs open and see-" He started.

"I'll have to take a rain check!" I interrupted him and pushed him away. Quickly, I made my way out of the lab and back into the hall. This was going absolutely no where! I sighed. Alright, last time.

"Take me to a french spy, one who is cunning and loves to lie." I chanted. With a tug of my ear, I found myself sitting in the kitchen next to the drunken Demoman.

"Come ta join me then lass?" He inquired.

"God Damnit! Damnit Damnit Fuck, shit damnit!" I cried as I kicked the table in a fit of stress.

"Ya know, it's not polite for a lady ta swear." The demoman replied, commenting on my behavior. I looked up at him.

"This whole thing is stupid! I was trying to practice my magic by looking for Spy and I just keep messing up!" I groaned. "I'm the worst witch in the world!" I slammed my head on the table in defeat. The Demoman chuckled, taking a sip of...wine? I looked amongst the empty beer bottles and found one fine bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. One thing's for sure, french red wine would not be his drink of choice. And he certainly wouldn't be drinking it out of a glass like a gentleman. "Wait a minute! You're not Demo. You're the Spy!" I said this triumphantly as I rose from my seat and pointed down at him. The Frenchman chuckled as his face slowly changed back into that of the Spy's.

"Well done." He congratulated as he swirled his wine in it's glass. He put it down as he poured another glass. "Per'aps your magic is not failing you after all." The Spy handed me the glass as I accepted it.

"Thank you." I said with a slight curtsy. I took a sip of the wine only for my face to squish in disgust. The frenchman chuckled at me. "I'm sorry," I said as I put the glass down. "I prefer white wine."

"Zhe young at heart always do." Was his response as he took another sip of his glass. There was a moment of silence. Just the feeling of success. Maybe I'm not the worst witch in the world.

The moment did not last long as the sound of the front door opening was heard, followed by a pair of high heels clicking towards us.


	5. Away From The Masked Fire Beast

Chapter 4

The footsteps got closer as I began to question my sanity. Was there really a woman in a pair of heels coming towards us? Or was it just a haunted pair of heels. Those things can be such a bitch to deal with, they step on everyone's toes! Thankfully, it wasn't the latter as a small mousy woman entered the room. She was of short stature with dark brown hair and large glasses. Her purple shirt matched her long skirt. And, of course, she was wearing short two inch heels. She held a blueprint in her hand and blueprints rolled up under her arms. She looked at Spy.

"Good Morning, Miss Pauling." He greeted.

"Spy, I need you to get the others in the conference room. It's time to go over battle strategies." She said, a tad flustered. Clearly she had a lot on her mind. In an instant the Spy disappeared into thin air. I jumped. I looked back at the spot where he was and back at Miss Pauling.

"Does he do that often?" I inquired.

"Unfortunately." Miss Pauling replied. "I'm Miss Pauling, by the way."

"Berni-" I started. "Er, Mage."

"I know." She said. Of course she knew. "I've read your file." She started to get more organized, pulling herself together. She quickly made her way down the hall towards, what I assume, was the conference room. Without thinking, I followed her and made my way into the room.

It was a small room with a TV screen and ten chairs. Miss Pauling set up her supplies on a desk and chalkboard in front. It almost looked like a classroom. Oh school. Some things I'm just glad are said and done with. School was one of them. I took a seat in one of the chairs, making my self comfortable. It wasn't long before the other men became settled in the room. To my left was the loud Bostonian, to my right was the Southern gentleman.

"Alright guys, we have a lot to cover today." Miss Pauling began. "Our sources indicate that-" She stopped dead when she noticed Scout cuddling a white rabbit in his lap. "Scout. Where did you get a rabbit?" He looked up proudly.

"Mage gave 'im to me." Scout explained. "Pulled the little guy right outta my hat!" He looked down at the rabbit. "Isn't that right Kennedy?" I could almost see a tear glitter and gleam in soldiers eye. Was he...beaming?

"I'm proud of you Son! Naming your rabbit after an American President!" Soldier beamed with pride. He gave his compadre a slap on the back.

"Pssh! Kennedy ain't named afta some stuffy president! Dis is John Kennedy, Boston Red Sox. He plays second base ya chucklehead." Scout explained. Miss Pauling rolled her eyes as the Soldier slumped back into his chair, clearly disappointed.

"Anyway, Grey man will be invading the Upper East Coal mines at around 8 hundred hours." A picture displayed on the TV of exactly what she was talking about. "At exactly 7 hundred hours tomorrow we will intercept their attack."

"Wait, Im sorry. What exactly do you want me to do? Like kill them?" I interrupted, confused on what exactly I was doing here. I mean, yes I have a debt and stuff but couldn't I just do paperwork? Killing was an old habit of mine that I had been struggling with for decades!

"Umm…..yes?" Miss Pauling inquired. She stared at me like I had three heads. Everyone else stared at me too. "You do realize you're a mercenary now."

"Well, right. But I could like, freeze them in a block of ice or turn them into flowers." I suggested. "Look, I'm really trying to cut back on the whole killing thing. I have a bit of a problem with it." Miss Pauling smirked as she pulled out a large manilla folder.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it on April 15, 1912. The sinking of the Titanic." Miss Pauling began. "You used your ice powers there too I believe." She smiled with confidence as my eyes began to widen at the memory.

"I may have overreacted slightly on that one. But those kids called me names AND they wouldn't play with me!" I defended to no avail.

"Or several earthquakes in California from 1915 to 1920." Miss Pauling added, flipping through the folder. She had barely made it past the first couple of pages.

"120 was a rough age for me. I was just going through some changes and-" I babbled profusely. Miss Pauling raised an eyebrow, flipping to the next page.

"Shall I continue?" She inquired. There was a moment of silence amongst everyone in the room as they absorbed the knowledge of how much of a monster I really was. With a huff I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms. Miss Pauling smiled victoriously. "As support class, Mage, the Administrator expects you to help out your team by any means necessary. If you see an enemy attacking one of your fellow colleagues, assist them by whatever means possible. Do you understand?"

"Yeah sure." I added, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks. I was being made an example of. And I didn't like it.

"Since the teleporter is currently out of commission, you will pack up your things and leave in the van in precisely one hour." She continued. Miss Pauling now turned towards the Sniper. "Coordinates will be set for you when you leave." The Aussie tipped his hat towards the woman. "Mage, your uniform has been supplied for you in your bedroom. You will be expected to wear it from now on." I sighed. Uniforms weren't exactly my thing. "Any questions?" Scout's hand shot into the air, the other holding on tightly to his Rabbit. "Scout is this a real question?"

"Of course Miss Pauling." Scout replied. "Have ya ever seen me wit my shirt off?"

"No further questions." She replied. "You're dismissed." With that, she packed up her belongings and promptly left the base. Part of me was glad. I had suffered enough embarrassment as it was. Quickly, I pulled myself out of the chair and practically sprinted out the room.

"Hey yo, Mage!" Scout called. I quickly turned to find the Bostonian walking towards me, holding his rabbit Kennedy tightly. "Did ya really sink the Titanic?"

"I don't want to talk about it Scout." I replied.

"And, can ya really make earthquakes?" He inquired once again, his eyes wide and curious. I smirked.

"Well, yes." I replied. "A witch can master all the elements. It's kinda our thing." I couldn't help but smirk with pride at my magic capabilities. I had met a few other witches in my life time. They were all incredible! Me, well, I can do like...water and some wind...and like...those earthquakes. But that's pretty much it for the big stuff. You should see my uncle.

"Wow, dats wicked!" Scout smiled widely. I growled.

"I'm not wicked!" I snapped. "Just because I'm a witch that does not mean I'm wicked."

"I didn't mean-" Scout started.

"Just leave me alone." I growled. I felt my hands getting cold. Maybe I could freeze him in a block of ice if I really wanted to. I was about to do just that when my worst nightmare came lumbering behind him.

"Mmello Mhmage." He waved. My eyes widened and my voice stopped dead in my throat. I couldn't scream, I couldn't breath. All I could do was sprint down the hall, away from the masked fire beast. I pulled myself in a random room and slammed the door behind me. Phew. I sighed with relief. I quickly gazed around at my surroundings. It was a dark room, lit only by a fireplace. Portraits adorned the room. Lacing the space with an air of sophistication. One chair in the center of the room. A small table with a bottle of wine was placed next to it. Whose room was this? Suddenly, I was slammed against the door, a knife dug into my throat. I couldn't see my captor through the darkness of the room.

"Oh, eet es just you, madmoiselle." The Spy said as he released me from his death grip. He pulled out a cigareete and lit it, the light illuminating his handsome features. "'ow can I be of service?"

"I'm sorry, Spy. I didn't mean to intrude." I replied. "Must have just gone into the wrong room."

"I 'ave been reading your file, Ma petite sorcière." He commented, pulling out the manilla folder Miss Pauling had a few moments ago. "I think you 'ave taken more lives then any of us combined."

"I'm gonna go-" I started I turned to leave.

"Tell me, how is it that such a powerful creature, like yourself," The Spy inquired as he tauntingly played with his lighter dangerously close to my face,"is terrified of a mere flame?"

"That's none of your business." I snapped.

"Would it be due to the traumatic deaths of-" He continued.

"Just shut up, okay!" I screamed as I slammed the door behind me. I turned the corner and saw the rest of the men, including the Pyro, bringing their bags into the main room.

"Ya betta start packing Sheila." Sniper suggested. He tossed me a red bag decorated with the letters R.E.D. Everything was red in this place. "We're leaving soon."

"Right." I replied, turning back towards my room. I had almost completely forgotten. Plus it was a good excuse to get as far away from The Pyro as possible.

"Oi, don't foiget ya uniform. The Administrator would throw a fit." I nodded and continued towards my room. I quickly threw my few belongings I brought with me into the bag. Oh right, my uniform. I opened the closet to find my uniform hanging up neatly. Dear god...

It was the most stereotypical witch costume I could have ever imagined. Like, real bad. This was even worse then the one I was going to wear for Halloween! That was just ironically cute...but this? It was a short red dress with a black sheer cloak. There was a leather belt around the waist. The dress came with fishnet stockings, black boots and a pointed hat. Of course. With a sigh, I tugged on my ear. My old outfit folded up neatly in the bag, and the uniform on me. To its credit, it did show of my curves quite nicely. However, I felt like a teenage girl at a halloween party, trying to get some action. How the hell was I supposed to brutally murder people in a dress?

With a sigh, I walked outside towards the van. The men watched me walk towards the van as if I were on a catwalk. That was gonna get old real quick. They were all seated in the van. There were two seats in front, drivers and passengers. The back, however, was just two benches along the side. The only empty spot back there was next to The Pyro. Snipes got into the driver's seat.

"Can I drive?" I asked him. He looked down at me.

"You wanna give it a go, love?" He inquired. I nodded vigorously. this was all new to me and I was just dying to get behind the wheel. "Oilright, hop in." Sniper got in the passenger seat as I pulled myself into the front.

"Sniper, you ain't drivin'?" The texan questioned with a chuckle. He turned back towards his comrades.

"The Sheila's gonna have a go, blokes." He smirked.

"A woman driving?" The misogynistic soldier scoffed. "Now I've seen everything." I sneered at that comment.

"Leetle girl can not drive big van." The Russian commented. "Too dangerous." I turned back towards the men, glaring daggers at them all. I had had just about enough.

"Little girl can drive big van, Heavy." I snapped. I looked at all of them. "And I am not a little girl. I'm old enough to be your great grandmother! And I am the oldest and therefore I can make the decisions. And I decide that I'm going to drive this van. Do we understand each other?!"

The van was silent at my tone of voice. Soldier was about to say something but The Engineer stared at him. He growled and bit his tongue. The Engineer tipped his hat at me.

"Thank you." With that, I turned to the Sniper. "Now how do you turn this thing on?"

* * *

A few bumps and broken mail boxes later, we were on the road. I caught Sniper looking at my fishnet covered legs a few times, but I snapped him out of it. Eventually, the sun had set and it was getting dark. And driving was getting more and more difficult. It was hard enough as it was! What with all the button pushing and wheel turning. So much work to get somewhere! Im so used to sitting and letting the wind take me. But this was ridiculous, I don't know how people do it. Do people do this everyday? It didn't matter though because this was no longer about a fun experience. I was proving a point. Soon enough, I felt a yawn coming on as imaginary heavy bags yanked down my eyelids. All of a sudden I heard a loud honk and tires skidding on pavement. Apparently, I had swerved into the other lane. Quickly, I readjusted my position. Ha! Not even a scratch. Moans and groans were heard from all the other mercs. They certainly weren't asleep anymore.

"Oilright, Mage. Let me take the wheel. You'll kill us all if ya fall asleep on us." The Sniper chuckled.

"What if you fall asleep?" I inquired.

"I've slept for the past three hours! Besides love, we've gotta get there by 6." He explained. I sighed as I reluctantly pulled over the car, switching spots with the Australian.

"You better get some sleep, Fraulein." The medic said, his eyes locking with mine. "Ve have a busy morning, you and I." I gulped nervously. What the hell was that supposed to mean? I fell asleep, still on edge over Medic's comment. What the hell was he talking about?


End file.
